Do Anti Aging Cream Work? Do They Really Work or Another Scam?

Wrinkles, fine lines, skin sagging and what not?! Signs of aging are frightening and everyone’s looking for a remedy. And anti aging cream promises to fight the signs of aging. Do these creams really work or are they yet another scam? Well, we’ve researched all the science behind it. Read on to know more!

Hey gorgeous! Skincare leads to beautiful and glowing skin. In fact, the sooner you start to take care of your skin, the better it is. But ultimately why do we need good skin?! Of course to look beautiful, radiant and young. But for how long are we gonna have younger looking skin? Until we turn 40 or 50?

Well, of course, you can delay the signs of aging for sure by taking good skin care. But never expect a miracle to happen overnight. And also you won’t look like a 20 year old when you’re 40. Lol! There’s no way that’s gonna happen. And there’s nothing wrong looking mature enough for 40. Even celebs look gorgeous when they reach their 40s or 50s but they don’t appear on Teen Vogue, right?

For example, I’m in my late 20s and I look a lot different than my teens. So, the facial structure, body features and our skin go through a lot of changes as we age. And it’s a natural process. Well, a few (fewer than few, perhaps!) embrace it with happiness and others crib about it and look for solutions. But loads of cosmetic companies take advantage of this and claim to reduce or reverse aging. Interesting!

A cream to get rid of wrinkles and age spots is surely interesting. You apply it and ta-da – they’re gone. They even claim to stop signs of aging when used regularly. But how true are these claims? Do they really work? Are there any side effects? Well, read on to know more!

What is an Anti Aging Cream?

An anti-aging cream is a cosmetic product that promises to make the aging skin younger by reducing spots and wrinkles. It also is marketed saying it prevents signs of aging like sagging and poor texture.

Youthful, glowing skin is praised by many cultures. Even in India, women are expected to look young, especially when they get married. Koreans have perfected a lengthy and tedious daily 10-step routine to achieve and maintain youthful skin. It’s called the Korean Morning Skincare Routine. There are 10 steps involved and focuses on whole face care regimen. Anyway, now let’s check out what the manufacturers’ theory of anti aging cream!

The popularity of anti aging cream is also perpetuated by traditional women’s media. Younger women frequently grace magazine covers, and glowing skin remedies are targeted towards younger women, in an effort to promote the myth that younger skin is better.

Also, fashion magazine, InStyle, says that girls should start using anti aging cream as early as at the age of 20.

So, when we actually checked with American Academy of Dermatology to know when exactly to start using these products, we found out other interesting facts about anti aging products. As per the website, skin aging starts in the twenties itself and the results are visible in thirties and worsen by forties. So, it is always better to take care of your skin once you’re in your teens itself.

Illium Anti Ageing Cream & Other Popular Ones

Illium anti aging cream is one of the famous cosmetic product that is marketed to prevent issues like aging of skin. It claims to stop wrinkles, fine lines and is able to revitalize your skin by making it appear youthful and vibrant. It’s also organic and hence many people wanna try this anti aging cream.

However, the ingredients mentioned are only peptides and collagen. Collagen is responsible for good skin and when it breaks down, tiny proteins are formed known as peptides.

This makes it hard to believe as there are no other ingredients mentioned. Also, other popular anti aging cream products that claim to reduce fine lines and wrinkles are Olay, Neutrogena, L’Oreal, Glam Glow and more. A few products even claim that apart from fighting the signs of aging, anti aging cream moisturizes the skin. And they also have different types of products ranging from face creams to eye creams to anti aging hand cream.

How do Anti Aging Creams Work?

According to most of the product descriptions, a few common ingredients used in anti aging cream are retinol, vitamin C, hydroxy acids, and peptides. As per health.com, according to the recipe for anti aging face cream, a ingredient retinol produces more collagen, thickens the outer layer of the skin, retains moisture and sheds old skin. Hydroxy acids help to retain water as they absorb the water content and store them. Free radicals are produced when the skin ages and damages DNA, cell membranes and collagen. Hence vitamins C and E help to destroy free radicals.

Avalure anti aging cream claims that only vitamins aren’t enough to help with wrinkles and sagging of skin as antioxidants when exposed to air and light, vitamins can’t reach deep inside the skin to the dermis. And causes wrinkles by fibroblasts, which means there’s an uneven structure inside the skin and hence peptides help to make more collagen, which makes the skin less elastic and prevents the wrinkles.

What Does Medical Science Say?

According to an interview published by USA Today of Dr. Frey, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist says, “Science has never found a single ingredient that can reverse the aging process.” So, why do consumers keep falling for these products? And consumers may use these creams because of the comfort and luxe factor. If they like the smell or the silkiness of the lotion, they are more likely to use it.

Also, they claim to increase the water content of the skin, which can be done by hydrating well by drinking water or moisturizing your skin. Also, one needs to know the differences between drugs and cosmetics. Cosmetic products don’t interfere with any bodily function, they aren’t required to undergo strict tests to determine their effect, unlike drugs.

What Are the Effects of Aging?

To know why these products don’t really work, we need to understand what aging is and what happens to your skin as you age.

According to Medicinenet.com, the effects of aging are related to lifestyle, diet and also heredity. And if you’re smoking, it may cause free radicals, which are once healthy oxygen molecules that are now overactive and unstable. free radicals damage cells, leading to premature wrinkles. The primary factors contributing to wrinkled, spotted skin include normal aging, exposure to sun and pollution. Also, daily facial movements, obesity and even sleep positions cause wrinkles.

Here are a few skin changes that occur with age:

1. Skin becomes rougher.

2. Skin becomes slack. The loss of elastic tissues (elastin and collagen) in the skin with age causes the skin to hang loosely.

3. Skin becomes more transparent as we age, meaning thinning of epidermis (outer layer of skin) and fragile, meaning flattening of the area where epidermis and dermis (inner layer of the skin) come together.

4. Skin becomes more easily bruised.

5. Most damage to the skin is done by sun’s UV rays that may sometimes lead to premature aging and also deadly diseases like skin cancer. Aging caused due to sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV rays) is also known as photoaging.

Effects of Sun’s Harsh Rays on Skin

The UV light damages certain fibers in the skin called elastin. The breakdown of the elastin fibers causes the skin to sag, stretch and lose its ability to snap back after stretching. The skin also bruises and tears more easily and takes longer to heal. So while sun damage may not show when you’re young, it will show later.

Well according to beautyphile.com, when you consider the structure of the skin, there’s an inner layer known as dermis and fibroblast cells. Fibroblast cells manufacture the fibrous proteins, collagen and elastin.

Collagen fibers are like support cables on a bridge holding up the skin to keep it firm and wrinkle-free. Elastin is flexible and stretchy, allowing your skin to stretch and snap back to its original shape. As we age, so do our fibroblasts! They make less collagen and elastin and skin loses structure and flexibility and we start to notice the little lines known as wrinkles.

Environmental factors like pollution and UV radiations from the sun damage skin cells like fibroblasts causing them to wear out in the ways that produce deeper wrinkles and skin loses texture, too.

How the Inner Layer of the Skin Affects Aging?

Also, a layer below the skin, dermis changes as we age. And these changes are termed as subcutaneous changes. So, let’s check out how it affects the skin’s appearance.

1. Loss of fat below the skin in the cheeks, temples, chin, nose and eye area may result in loosening skin sunken eyes and a skeletal appearance.

2. Bone loss, mostly around the mouth and chin may become evident after age of 60 and cause puckering of the skin around the mouth.

3. Cartilage loss in the nose causes drooping of the nasal tip and accentuation of the bony structures in the nose.

4. Dry skin and itching are common in later life. About 85 percent of older people develop the winter itch because overheated indoor air is dry.

6. All these changes of the inner layer start at the age of mid-twenties.

From anti aging cream for face and eyes to best anti aging cream with retinol, we have reviews from people who have used it and we also have given our opinion of anti aging cream. Let’s check ’em out!

Anti Aging Cream Reviews

Another reason these creams keep selling is the mixed reviews. For every two negative reviews, consumer find at least one that’s vague enough to make them consider trying these creams. Skincare is very individual and what may work for one, not necessarily work for others, too!

For example, a review from consumer health digest says, “The product does seem like something that might be able to provide you with a certain amount of benefits, especially when it comes to your skin. At the same time, though, there are a few things which should be properly accounted for.”

For a product called Immortal anti aging cream, there are mixed reviews. One review read, “Best cream I’ve found for older skin. My skin just drinks it up and looks and feels hydrated.” While the other read, “The product burned my face and it’s not enough moisture. After applying the product my face still felt very dry. It made my face break out on the cheeks and jawline.”

But until now, we never came across a strong research or a proven result by a scientific research center or university, whether these anti aging creams work or not. Also, the reviews from the users are not quantifiable. There is no clear evidence by the consumers on a long-term use. The good reviews are for short term.

So, with these kinds of different reviews, all we can say is it’s how a user receives the product. Since these are cosmetic products, the manufacturers are not liable for the results. So, we can conclude that these creams are indeed a scam and as Dr. Frey said, aging cannot be reversed.

Is It a Scam?

As per health.com, “The lure of anti-aging creams lies in the fact that they are seemingly less complicated than a cosmetic surgery, a botox treatment or some other procedure in the ultimate run to regain a youthful look. It’s also less expensive,” said Shweta Mehra, a beauty consultant based in Delhi. We totally agree with this fact, everyone is in search of easy ways to look and feel good.

From fitness to skincare, we need a simple and easy alternative way to achieve our goals. Instead of working out in the gym to lose weight, we would rather try scammy things like juice cleanse, waist trainer or detox water. Likewise, with skincare, we tend to ignore it completely during the twenties and begin worry in the late thirties or even later.

Skincare is a lifestyle, what goes in shows out. Imagine painting a wall, if you have not set the base right from inside then whatever product you use, no matter how expensive they are, it doesn’t stay on the wall. So, if you go on applying a chunk of products on the outer layer, there is no way it’s gonna affect your skin because skin is made up of different layers.

Manufacturers are showcasing these products by using technical terms but do they really work? Well, we have compiled all the science and facts of the anti aging cream and jotted down why they don’t work. Read on to know more.

Why Don’t the Anti Aging Cream Work?

No product will give an instant five-minute facelift or changes your skintone within a week. It’s high time, we smart girls make the right choice and look behind the science of such products and investigate if we really need them. My mom is 45 plus yet she doesn’t use a single product on her skin. I’m sure most mothers stick to this and that is because our parents never used cosmetics.

But we millennials are more prone to pollution, bad lifestyle like drinking alcohol or smoking, UV radiations and even not taking the makeup off while going to bed. Yes, all the small things contribute to your skin problems. But do these anti aging products really work?

Looking active ingredients in anti aging cream

These creams are based on 4 key ingredients, retinoids, hydroxy acids, vitamins and peptides. So, we have decoded each main ingredient and also explained why these elements won’t reverse aging.

Retinoids

They claim that retinoic acid triggers skin cells to make more collagen, thicken the outer layer, retain moisture and shed old cells, you won’t be the new 20. The effects are modest and stronger retinoids cause irritation. Instead, you can indulge in food that contains retinol like sweet potatoes, mangoes, raw spinach, apricots, carrots, raw tomatoes, oranges and bell peppers.

Hydroxy Acids

Hydoxy acids are yet another prominent ingredient in anti aging creams. The thought of applying acids on the skin may be frightening. But mild hydroxy acids aren’t actually that harsh. Results may be minor but are immediate. But some hydroxy acids make skin more sensitive to sun. This ingredient is used to remove the dead cells and to promote firmness. However, not all cosmetics mention concentration information on the label.

Also, citric fruits, sugarcane, apples, grapes and tomato juice have hydroxy acids. Try to include them in your diet to gain maximum benefits for your skin.

Vitamins

Vitamins in the cream or gel won’t be absorbed by the inner layers of your skin. As per Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS, Nutrition Diva, “Lotions and cosmetic potions often tout their vitamin-drenched formulas. And while these nutrients may (or, then again, may not) have cosmetic effects on the surface of the skin, very little if any of those nutrients are penetrating beyond the skin’s surprisingly tough outer layers. That’s why we can slather our skin with mineral-based sunscreens all summer long without developing a zinc overload!”

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are unstable when exposed to light and air and it’s a pain converting them to a form that gets through skin. Though antioxidants prevent future damage, they won’t help with those wrinkles you already have. Collagen, a protein that maintains the skin is created and broken down as a part of the process of skin renewal. When a breakdown is greater than production, we start to sag.

Anti Aging Creams are Ineffective

So, scientifically, there’s no proof that these creams are effective. However, the cosmetic companies, too, feel that there’s no need to prove their products deliver all the promises they make.

Also, the biggest fact is mostly 80 percent of aging is caused by sun and this is the reason your mum shouts at you to not play in the sun. Woah! So much of science involved. The best anti aging product for your skin is the sunscreen lotion, perhaps.

We can say that anti aging cream may work for some and this may also contribute to other factors like change in diet and lifestyle, too. We cannot solely believe in the fact that anti aging cream has done wonders.

Homemade Remedies for Aging Skin

Aging of the skin is a natural process but of course, who wants to age?! If given a chance, I would stop right at 25. Lol! But yeah, I will be 30 someday. *sulks inside* But the good news is you can delay a few signs of aging like skin sagging or age spots by trying a few homemade anti aging face creams. It’s also important to avoid harsh sun rays, especially between 12 to 4 pm.

So, that was all about anti aging cream. It’s never too late to start skincare and has youthful skin. But try naturally – not by using external products that have absolutely zero effects but cost a bomb. What are your thoughts? Share us by tweeting @shilpa1ahuja!

Sahana is a Senior Staff Writer at ShilpaAhuja.com. With an experience in fashion and lifestyle writing, Sahana is responsible for Indian and international fashion week coverage every year, and is developing an expertise in apparel trend forecasting. She also writes about health and fitness, having pursued yoga for 6 years now. She’s not a gym person at all but is all for “running in the park” and is an amateur cyclist. Books and coffee are her other passions. She’s also an amateur photographer. She’s a hardcore Bollywood fan and she loves to cover the nostalgic topics on the same. From fashion trends to famous characters, she can make anyone love Bollywood! Her best article has been 90s Bollywood fashion, a readers’ favorite so far! Prior to her experience with ShilpaAhuja.com, Sahana has written as a freelance author for online magazine, Mashup Corner, and interned at EventsHigh as a content writer. Her blogs on basic fashion, makeup, fitness and city’s food joints that gave her a chance to experiment with her writing. She also has voiced her opinions about feminism and equal rights for men and women at PolkaCafe journals and after quitting her job, she decided to take up writing as her full time career.
Sahana is an engineering graduate and has worked in an MNC, Tesco, for more than a year as an Operations Support. It was her sheer love for fashion that made her quit the monotonous 9 to 5 job to pursue a career in the fashion industry. She’s originally from Bangalore and is currently settled in Chennai (she’s loving the city)! For any queries and discussions, contact her at sahana@shilpaahuja.com. You can also tweet her at https://twitter.com/Sahana_17